Lately I’ve been playing a certain racecar video game extensively, and it got me thinking about how many similarities web design, web development, and online marketing have with the aspects of automotive racing. Running a business is just like being a racecar driver. And here is my metaphor.
Before you can enter a race, you have to have a racecar, assuming we’re talking about automobile racing. You can buy one, or build one. If you build one it will be everything you ever wanted in a racecar, and if you buy a pre-built one it will be quick and painless in the short-run but you may lack appreciation for the process, and you won’t have the same intimate knowledge of your vehicle as you would if you had the experience of building it yourself. And when I say build, I also mean having one built for you, because not all racecar drivers are also expert mechanics. Once your car is tuned and ready to race it will be a hard battle to win against the seasoned competitors also on the track.
Business is a race as well, and your marketplace is the racetrack; It’s always a gamble to enter a race. Many businesses fail early-on and the unfortunate truth is that they usually don’t get a second chance. If the racecar were your company’s website, then the fine tuning needed to win the race would be revising your content, entering effective keyword metadata, customizing your website’s programming, etc. Your website will take constant maintenance in order for it to fully function properly, just like a racecar needs constant tire rotation, lubrication, engine optimization, and more. And if you want to compete to be the best in your field, you’ve got to be inventive, constantly changing your marketing strategies, because your opponents also wants to be #1.
In a race, the smallest, most insignificant error can cost you your place. If you are too aggressive in a turn, if you are too cautious and take it too slow, or if you’re too eager and reckless and let your tires spin out of control, there’s always someone right behind you ready to pick up the pace and take your place. Being the best means making as few mistakes as possible. When running a website, mistakes happen, viruses and malware happen, even spelling errors can cost you. Do what you can to minimize your mistakes. If you can manage that, then the only thing between you and your gold prize is how well your car performs. Technology advances every year, methods change, and if you let your website (your racecar) remain stagnant, you will not stay on top long.
I could get into greater detail of the meaning of this metaphor, like, what if a bug splatters on the windshield, what would that mean for a website? And I could say that the bug represents a bad comment a user left, and you can either ignore it, let it distract you and cost you time, or use the tools at your disposal like windshield wipers at the risk of it smearing or reducing your aerodynamics. But the fundamentals are what’s important here, your car being a website, the track being an online marketplace, and all the work you put into your car being your digital marketing efforts and website customization.
A website requires fine tuning, responsive handling, and an expert team providing top notch maintenance. You need a well-built and modified monster to give you the advantage needed to win in the marketplace of business.